Safety device for moving stairways

ABSTRACT

In a moving stairway of the type having steps with treads which are provided with relatively thick and wide longitudinally extending cleats with the front ends of the cleats being perpendicular to the plane of the tread and the rear ends of the cleats being disposed at acute angles to the plane of the tread, thus leaving a hazardous space shaped like a triangular prism between corresponding cleats on adjacent treads when the steps are at the same height, the improvement comprising nosepieces of compressible resilient material, having shapes like that of said spaces, affixed to the front ends of said cleats and means covering the nosepieces for preventing the nosepieces from being ripped away from the cleats when the stairway is in operation.

United States Patent Nov. 2, 1971 Appl. No. Filed Patented SAFETY DEVICE FOR MOVING STAIRWAYS 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl. 198/16 Int. Cl...... B66b 9/12 Field of Search 198/16,17; 104/25 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,135,188 11/1938 Lindquist 198/16 2,813,613 11/1957 Mangles 198/16 Primary Examiner Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-H. S. Lane An0rney-William S. Hill ABSTRACT: in a moving stairway of the type having steps with treads which are provided with relatively thick and wide longitudinally extending cleats with the front ends of the cleats being perpendicular to the plane of the tread and the rear ends of the cleats being disposed at acute angles to the plane of the tread, thus leaving a hazardous space shaped like a triangular prism between corresponding cleats on adjacent treads when the steps are at the same height, the improvement comprising nosepieces of compressible resilient material, having shapes like that of said spaces, affixed to the front ends of said cleats and means covering the nosepieces for preventing the nosepieces from being ripped away from the cleats when the stairway is in operation.

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3 VIII/0171111111114 v BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The individual steps of moving stairways have treads which are usually provided with longitudinally extending cleats providing increased traction for the shoes of the user. In some types of moving stairways these cleats rise about five-eighths inch above the plane of the surface of the tread.

The front edges of these cleats are usually perpendicular to the plane of the tread. But the rear edges of the cleats are beveled and are disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the tread. This arrangement permits the risers of adjacent steps to slide past each other without jamming when the steps are being formed and when they are disappearing.

Thus, between the perpendicular end of each cleat on one tread and the beveled end of the corresponding cleat on the next adjacent tread there is a triangular shaped space. Rather, the shape is that of a triangular prism. This space has proved to be a hazard resulting in injuries to children's fingers if the child either happens to fall or stoops to pick up an object from the surface just as the steps are disappearing. Spike heels, umbrellas, canes and the like may also be caught in this space between cleats.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION One object of the present invention is to provide a safety device which may be installed in moving stairways to remove the hazard of the space between corresponding cleats on adjacent treads without impeding the normal action of the stairway.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety device for moving stairways which will fill in the space between the ends of cleats on adjacent treads and which will be resistant to the frictional wear which occurs during normal operation of the stairway.

THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of a portion of a moving stairway of the type to which the present invention is applicable.

FIG. 2 is a partial section view of the abutting ends of two adjacent steps of the stairway of FIG. 1, with the steps in a disappearing position at the top or bottom of the flight, and without the present invention included.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 with the safety device of the invention installed.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the safety device of the invention related to part of a step to which it many be applied.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I shows the upper end of an ascending flight of moving stairs. The stairway includes a balustrade 2 and a series of articulated steps 4. Each step 4 includes a front riser 6, a rear riser 8 (FIGS. 2 and 3), a tread l and longitudinally extending cleats 12. In some types of moving stairs the cleats are relatively thick (high) and wide.

As shown in FIG. 2, so that the steps may slide more easily past each other without jamming when they are being formed and when they are disappearing, the rear end 14 of each cleat is beveled so that it is disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the tread 10. The front end 16 of each cleat 12 is disposed perpendicular to the plane of the tread 10. Also, the front end 16 of each cleat 12 is flush with the surface of the front riser 6. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this leaves a space between the adjacent ends of corresponding cleats. Each space has the shape of a triangular prism and is a hazard to those using the stairway.

The present invention eliminates the hazard introduced by the space between cleat ends. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a sheet 18 of nylon reinforced padding, with extending fingers 20 corresponding in shape to the front ends 16 of each cleat 12, is cemented to the front riser 6 of each ste Over the fingers 20 of the padding sheet 1%, nosepieces 22 of vinyl plastic are either heat-sealed or cemented These nosepieces have a shape corresponding to the prism-shaped space between adjacent cleats. They are designed to fit snugly within this space.

To keep the nosepieces 22 from being torn loose from the fingers 20 of the padding sheet 18, they are provided with protection in the form of a sheet 24 of smooth nylon-type plastic having one set of fingers 26 shaped to fit in the grooves between the cleats l2 and another set of fingers 28 shaped to lie flat along the tops of the cleats 12. The major part of the sheet 24 is cemented to the sheet 18 of protective padding. The fingers 26 and 28 are cemented to the bottoms of the grooves and the tops of the cleats 12, respectively.

As the stairway moves in normal operation, the steps slide past each other unimpeded by the nylon cover 24 and the nosepieces 22 periodically are compressed and permitted to expand without ever exposing any hazardous space between cleats.

Although the sheet 18 of reinforced foam padding is preferred for best operational results, it is possible to omit it.

What is claimed is:

1. In a moving stairway of the type having steps with front and rear risers and which are provided with relatively thick and wide longitudinally extending cleats with the front ends of the cleats on each tread being perpendicular to the plane of the tread and the rear ends of each cleat being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the tread thus leaving a space shaped like a triangular prism between corresponding cleats on adjacent treads when the steps are at the same height, the improvement comprising;

nosepieces of compressible, resilient material, having a shape like that of said space, affixed to the front end of each of said cleats, and

a single sheet of tough, flexible, smooth, protective sheathing having first portions covering the exposed surfaces of each of said nosepieces, a second portion extending over and adhering to at least a portion of the surface of said front riser, and third portions extending as fingers along the grooves between said cleats.

2. A moving stairway according to claim 1 including also a sheet of reinforced foam padding on each step having first portions affixed to said front end of each of said cleats between said cleats and said nosepieces, and a second portion affixed to said front riser between said riser and said protective sheathing.

3. In a moving stairway of the type having steps with treads which are provided with relatively thick and wide longitudinally extending cleats with the front ends of the cleats on each tread being perpendicular to the plane of the tread and the rear ends of each cleat being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the tread thus leaving a space shaped like a triangular prism between corresponding cleats on adjacent treads when the steps are at the same height, the improvement comprising:

nosepieces of compressible, resilient material, having a shape like that of said space, affixed to the front end of each of said cleats, and

means covering said nosepieces for preventing said nosepieces from being ripped away from said cleats when the stairway is in operation.

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1. In a moving stairway of the type having steps with front and rear risers and which are provided with relatively thick and wide longitudinally extending cleats with the front ends of the cleats on each tread being perpendicular to the plane of the tread and the rear ends of each cleat being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the tread thus leaving a space shaped like a triangular prism between corresponding cleats on adjacent treads when the steps are at the same height, the improvement comprising; nosepieces of compressible, resilient material, having a shape like that of said space, affixed to the front end of each of said cleats, and a single sheet of tough, flexible, smooth, protective sheathing having first portions covering the exposed surfaces of each of said nosepieces, a second portion extending over and adhering to at least a portion of the surface of said front riser, and third portions extending as fingers along the grooves between said cleats.
 2. A moving stairway according to claim 1 including also a sheet of reinforced foam padding on each step having first portions affixed to said front end of each of said cleats between said cleats and said nosepieces, and a second portion affixed to said front riser between said riser and said protective sheathing.
 3. In a moving stairway of the type having steps with treads which are provided with relatively thick and wide longitudinally extending cleats with the front ends of the cleats on each tread being perpendicular to the plane of the tread and the rear ends of each cleat being disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the tread thus leaving a space shaped like a triangular prism between corresponding cleats on adjacent treads when the steps are at the same height, the improvement comprising: nosepieces of compressible, resilient material, having a shape like that of said space, affixed to the front end of each of said cleats, and means covering said nosepieces for preventing said nosepieces fRom being ripped away from said cleats when the stairway is in operation. 